OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 9-ranked Johnson County men's basketball team came away with a split while hosting the JCCC Classic over the weekend. The Cavaliers opened with a narrow 77-76 loss to No. 18 Iowa Lakes on Friday night, but rebounded with a 90-63 victory over Southwestern Saturday evening.
In the loss to Iowa Lakes, Johnson County led in the game only twice, 2-0 at the start and 34-33 at the start of the 2nd half.
The Lakers controlled the game most of the night and led by 11 with just under five minutes to play, 68-57. JCCC managed to claw back into the game and pulled to within one 76-75 on Tymer Jackson's 3-points with 34 second left.
After a Lakers' free throw with 15 second left to make 77-75, JCCC sophomore forward Xavier Kahube had a chance in the final seconds to send the game into overtime, but hit just 1-of-2 free throw attempts. He was the team's top player in the game with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Jackson followed with 17 points and sophomore guard Desi Williams and sophomore forward Ryan Gordon each finished with 12 points. Gordon also grabbed eight boards.
In the win over Southwestern, the Cavaliers raced out the gate outscoring the Spartans 49-23 in the first period paced by Jackson and Gordon. Jackson tallied 11 of his game-high 23 points in the period hitting 5-of-7 shots and free throw, and Gordon connected on all six of his shots for 12 points. He finished with 18 points in the game, hitting 8-for-9 from the field.
Sophomore guard Seth Chargois and freshman forward Kyler Mann were JCCC's top performers off the bench. Chargois finished with nine points and seven rebounds. Mann added eight points and seven boards.
The Cavaliers will hit the road for the first time this season on Wednesday, November 16 against Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Neb., followed by two neutral site games against On Point Academy and Park University JV, Friday and Saturday at Highland, Kan.